Conventional circuit interrupting devices, such as circuit breakers, sectionalizers and reclosers provide protection for power distribution systems and the various apparatus on those power distribution systems such as transformers and capacitor banks by isolating a faulted section from the main part of the system. A fault current in the system can occur under various conditions, including but not limited to lightening, an animal or tree shorting the power lines or different power lines contacting each other.
Conventional circuit interrupting devices sense a fault and interrupt the current path. Conventional reclosers also re-close the current path and monitor continued fault conditions, thereby re-energizing the utility line upon termination of the fault. This provides maximum continuity of electrical service. If a fault is permanent, the recloser remains open after a certain number of reclosing operations that can be pre-set.
However, conventional circuit interrupters, particularly reclosers, are heavy and bulky, and are usually supported in a tank that has to be mounted to the utility pole. This also prevents retrofitting a conventional recloser with various circuit interrupter mounts, such as a switch or cutout mounting. Also, conventional reclosers cannot be readily removed from the system to both show a visible break in the circuit and facilitate maintenance on the device. Moreover, the internal mechanisms of conventional reclosers are located within the tank and are thus not visible to a lineman. Therefore, the lineman is forced to rely on an indicator mechanism of the recloser to indicate whether the current path is open or interrupted, and thus, safe for the lineman to perform maintenance or repairs. Moreover, conventional reclosers are costly to make due to the amount and type of materials required. Additionally, conventional reclosers must be grounded, and therefore, require additional amounts of insulative material and ground connections. Furthermore, conventional reclosers often require that the electronic control be housed separately from the recloser.
Also, conventional reclosers require additional mechanical parts to provide a trip free mechanism separate from other mechanisms of the recloser. The trip free mechanism prevents closure of the current path during fault conditions. The additional parts increase costs and require a larger housing to contain the additional parts.
Examples of conventional circuit interrupting devices include U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,708 to Marchand et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,712 to Kamp; U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,403 to Hamm et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,364 to Kamp; U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,382 to Eppinger; U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,804 to Luehring and U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,871 to Kamp et al.; the subject matter of each of which is herein incorporated by reference.